Selected Works

Firm Bio

Gustafson Porter is an award-winning, international landscape architecture practice. We believe landscape architecture is an essential discipline in the creation of healthy environments for the 21st century.

Our innovative designs draw inspiration from the uniqueness of place. We begin every project by researching the project’s site, context and past, in order to create a design which is responsive, sensitive and appropriate. We treat the land as a fundamental compositional element in the landscapes we create. Sculpting the ground is a distinctive feature of our work.

Our projects span climate zones, geographical characters, and historical and cultural backgrounds. In the landscape and architecture world, our work has a reputation for being of the highest design quality. In mainstream culture, our work has entered popular consciousness because we create beguilingly simple spaces which bring pleasure to everyone.

Gustafson Porter is at the forefront of landscape design practice. Our work is original, distinctive and engaging.

WATERAs well as storing, processing and purifying water, our landscape designs enrich the sensory experience with water, expressing changes in level and inviting people to engage; from reflective rainwater pools to splashing fountains, from naturalised lakes to drainable water features capable of accommodating crowds.

PLANTINGWe use plants to structure space. Working with shape, size, texture, sun patterns and existing soils, we develop planting schemes to enhance the site’s assets. We look for complexity in simplicity, producing bold schemes with a high degree of textural and seasonal variation.

LIGHTINGLighting is integral part to the choreography of our landscapes. Ceilings of starlight animate public spaces when dusk falls, creating atmosphere, enhancing a sense of safety and encouraging extended use.

SUSTAINABILITYOur work preserves and enhances the natural environment, promoting positive environmental and social outcomes. We design landscapes which balance human and environmental requirements, offering creative and pragmatic solutions in urban contexts.

ECOLOGYOur ecological strategies range from native seed collection and habitat protection to the creation of ecological areas within larger public amenity spaces. Our work balances human requirements of the public realm with those of biodiversity.

INCLUSIVE DESIGNWe put people at the heart of our designs; spending time understanding the local community and listening to their needs. We strive to design simple, uncluttered and barrier-free environments which promote choice, flexibility of use and enable everyone to participate equally.

Our rigorous research process enables us to engage with each landscape’s cultural, social and historical context. We create spaces capable of meeting the complex and changing demands of all users; serving as inclusive community spaces, business zones and destination attractions drawing visitors time and time again.

RESEARCHFactors such as climate, topography, geographic location and history define the character of any location. We undertake extensive research into every landscape we design in order to interpret its unique features in our design.

HISTORICAL CONTEXTSociety’s past activities leave physical and emotional imprints. Our designs reference the past in subtle and distinct ways; from the selection of plants and materials, to the composition and layout of spaces, to the inclusion of historic artefacts and archaeological finds.

COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONSustainable communities need to build in the capacity for growth and change, and community consultation is an essential starting point for this work. We welcome the opportunity to engage with the public and other stakeholders and to receive feedback on our work.

COMMERCIAL PLANNINGWe support public realm management teams in the preparation of strategic economic and development plans. This includes assessing potential programmatic uses and supporting retail and events teams in detailing issues from event locations and capacities to access routes, safety and lighting.

COLLABORATIONThe highly technical nature of our work means we collaborate with a wide range of specialists, from leading architects and engineers to soil scientists, botanists, archaeologists and irrigation designers. We also have excellent relationships with academic institutions, contractors and suppliers.

At Gustafson Porter we create sensitive and appropriate solutions for complex urban sites. Our beautifully-designed landscapes add significantly to the land value of developments.

Our work is intellectually rigorous. Those who seek depth find it. We weave in layered stories; in the botanical selection of species or the way the colour of the paving demarcates the ancient line of the sea.

We put people at the heart of our design process. We sculpt the land so it unfolds as the visitor walks through it. We design landscapes which change through the day, through the seasons, through different uses. We make landscapes to be experienced, owned and loved.